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Flora and FaunaBecause of the huge geographical contrasts, Peru has one of the worlds richest flora and fauna.

By the coastline there are very little vegetation and therefore few species, though by the end of the rivers there are many types of Cactus. On the other hand the maritime fauna is very rich, especially by the Paracas-peninsula, and Islas Ballestas, where you find sea-lions, pinguins and great variety of birds.

In the mountain area the flora changes dramatically. The landscape is dominated by 2 typese of vegetation, paramo and pura, which are different types of grass. Paramo exist in the north, and consist of hard grass and small trees. In the same area the worlds highest tree, named Polyepis, is growing. the most characteristic bird in the Andes is the mighty condor. The most common animals are Llama, Alpakka, Guanaco and Vicuña.

In the Amazone-basin there are a great number of wild animals, like jaguara, bear and other mammals, and many of them are threatened species. This is also a paradise for birdwatchers with more than 1700 bird-species, and Peru is the country with the second biggest variety of birds in the world. The flora in Amazonas is unique. The most common tree is the huge Ceiba-tree, which is typical for the rainforest, with its enormeous branches covering the surface. There are also a great variety of flowers, for instance many different kinds of orchids.